This post contains affiliate links. I received products from Deiss Kitchenware in order to host this giveaway.

I used to host giveaways all the time, but I when I checked to see when the last one was, it was back in 2017! I didn’t think it had been that long! I’m remedying that right now, with a giveaway for 5 Deiss Kitchenware products. Each of three winners will receive all 5 items! That is a great prize, don’t you think?

These Deiss Kitchenware products would make a nice addition to your own kitchen, or you can gift them at a bridal shower or housewarming and know that you have given the recipient a gift that will be useful and that will last a while. You can purchase them at Amazon by clicking on the links above.

To win, use the Giveaway Tools entry form below. Three winners will each win one of each of the five items shown in this post. That’s a pretty neat prize pack!

Beginning a workout can be a little tough. There are some things you can do to make beginning a workout possible. Picking the same time every day to do your workout is the best way to start. First, you have to pick a workout to do for about 30 mins to 1 hr. Watching a video you can put on day after day for your workout really helps. You can also just use an app with workout positions. You can go to that app every day for reference and to keep you on track. Here are some other beginning workout issues to solve so you have no obstacles in your way.

Fabgrandpa on the treadmill

Workout Clothes

You have pressure points on your body. You also can have sensitive places on
your body where clothes rub and make you uncomfortable. Sometimes you may want
to work out in very little clothes in the privacy of your home. You may also
want to work out in more clothes because you feel more comfortable. Whatever
you wear, you need a full range of motion. You need to feel free in your
workout clothes. Spandex and cotton are the best workout clothes because they
breathe. Cotton and spandex yoga pants are some of the best workout pants if
you overheat fast. You may need to layer up and peel off layers as you warm up
if you tend to be cold. It is difficult to really get moving when you feel
cold. So make sure your workout clothes are comfortable in the right
temperature and comfortable in the range of motion.

Thigh Chafing

If you have ever walked down the beach and your thighs rubbed together and
began to burn, then you know what thigh chafing
is. The first rule is to walk slower. The second rule is to try to walk with
your legs a little bit wider apart. Next rule is to wear cotton spandex yoga
pants that help your thighs rub past each other preventing skin on skin
contact. If you have tried all of these things to help thigh chafing, then it
is time to wear some products like cream or powder.

Workout Space

You will not want to continue to work out unless you enjoy where you are when
you work out. Some people are better working out in their own home. It is
important that you are working out in a space that gives you enough room. You
do not want to have stress over hitting something when you exercise. You want
to have the freedom to move and be safe. If you go somewhere to work out, make
sure you are comfortable with the space you choose. Make sure you feel
comfortable working out around the people you are with. It may seem like a
small thing, but if you are stressed about the people around you when you work
out, it can ruin your workout.

Proper Hydration

Make sure you go into your workout hydrated. Muscle takes a lot of water.
You also do not want to worry about hydrating
yourself during your workout, so make sure you have properly hydrated
yourself before you work out. You will get more out of your workout. Also,
hydrate after you exercise and replenish whatever water you sweat out. Iced
herbal teas have been found to be more effective than plain water thanks to the
antioxidants in the herbal teas. Plain water is just fine, but some people get
tired of drinking plain water over the years. Soda and caffeine are not good
ways to hydrate after a workout. If you drink coffee and water a little bit
before a workout that is okay, but caffeine is a stimulant and does not hydrate
as well as plain water or herbal tea.

Beginning a workout can be daunting, but it does not have to be. You will succeed. Just be aware of the little things that might be annoying you when you start your workout. By getting rid of the annoyances before beginning a workout, it makes the likelihood of your success in continuing to exercise much greater.

With the fun of Christmas over, it’s no wonder that so many of us feel a little low and deflated. Going back to normality isn’t exactly fun, so catching a case of the January Blues is perfectly normal and very common. For some, tackling them is all about hitting those January sales and treating themselves to a bargain or one of the top designer handbags available right now. For others, it’s about quiet reflection and distracting themselves with work and fitness goals.

January blues

Luckily, there are lots of things you can do during this miserable month that will keep the blues at bay, or make you feel better. Why not try some of these to boost your mood?

Stay Active

The last thing most of us want to do after the festive period is get up and move more. But the fact of the matter is, keeping active and moving your body does so much more for you than just the obvious health benefits. Staying active boosts your confidence, helps your posture and is also great at diffusing stress and anxiety, something that is rife when we all head back to work and deadlines loom large once more. Fortunately, staying active doesn’t mean spending hours at the gym. All it takes is just a little walk around the park, or the office on your break.

If it’s raining? Well, take an umbrella!
Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Stay sociable

I know what it’s like, you spend all Christmas surrounded and often smothered by relatives and guests. So, it’s no wonder that we all would like a break from our social calendars. We have the tendency to withdraw from our friends and family when we’re feeling low, which is ironic because they’re the people who are most likely to make us feel better! Do something simple; invite some friends over for a movie night, make a phone call to mom, write a letter to your grandma. Don’t isolate yourself!

Keep treating yourself

You might think that you’ve spoiled yourself enough over the holidays, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop. You should always prioritize what makes you happy and as long as it doesn’t negatively affect you, those around you or your finances, there’s no reason not to indulge. A hot bubble bath, a massage at the local spa, a delicious meal at your favorite restaurant. Doing what we love lifts our spirits, so go for it.

Keep eating right

During this miserable month, it’s all too tempting to reach for the left over Christmas treats. Even the chocolates that everyone has avoided at the bottom of the container look tempting. But while we crave sugary and fatty foods at this time of year, you need to be careful. These foods will make us feel good for a little while, but we’ll simply crash harder later on. Fill your plate with leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes and make sure you’re getting plenty of vitamins and minerals. You’ll feel amazing.

This information is brought to you by HueTrition. All opinions are my own.

Have you made a resolution to eat healthier as your New Year’s Resolution? One of the hottest diet fads right now is the Keto diet. You may have started to follow it and use recipes you have found around the internet. Or maybe you have thought about it and done some research but you aren’t sure if it’s right for you.

HueTrition is here to help you understand it better!

Join HueTritions first Live Webinar about the Keto Diet Do’s & Don’ts During this event with HueTrition nutritionist, Lisa Underwood, she will talk about the Keto diet and other diets you may have considered to get health in 2019! This event is January 17 at 3pm EST (12pm PST).
BONUS – the first 5 people that send an email to info@huetrition.com will get to join this webinar for FREE!! Or you can visit HueTrition.com/shop to reserve your spot. There are a few events you can sign up for.
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Back in the 1970’s, when I was a young woman and my friends were getting married, wedding dresses had long, pouffy sleeves and high necklines. Brides were covered literally from head to toe. Our perceptions of things change as time goes on and styles change, which is why when many people picture wedding dresses now, they immediately think of long, white gowns which are often strapless and heavily bejeweled. But strapless wedding dresses are actually a modern wedding dress style. Churches frowned on lots of exposed skin when marrying, which is why most wedding dresses had sleeves. While there are now many dress styles available to the bride-to-be, wedding dresses with sleeves including long sleeve wedding dresses are making a dramatic comeback.

My three girls at Becky’s wedding in 2011: Emily, Becky, Becca

We
contribute a lot of this trend to the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate
Middleton. Kate’s gorgeous wedding dress featured long, lace sleeves that everyone
fell in love with it. The demure elegance of the dress convinced many brides to
start asking for long-sleeve dresses to wear to their own weddings.

Illusion lace dresses were the closest approximation of Kate’s dress. Illusion lace gives a sexier vibe to the wedding dress without showing a lot of skin. This is perfect for fall and winter brides since the added coverage makes the dress look more weather appropriate. They’re also especially fitting for holiday weddings, due to their glamour.

However, lace sleeves weren’t the only thing that came back in style when Kate Middleton walked down the aisle. Many brides are now channeling a 1970’s, hippie vibe with off-the-shoulder dresses and bell sleeves. The drama of these dresses lends them a kind of relaxed, ethereal beauty that makes them perfect for boho weddings on the beach.

Bishop sleeves are a classic sleeve style that isn’t seen as much anymore. This sleeve style is full at the shoulder and then cuffed at the wrist, creating a lot of volume. This style was popular in dresses in the 1980’s, but the modern incarnation of bishop sleeves is much subtler. Done with lace or chiffon, the new bishop sleeves are fluttery and deeply feminine.

Another
sleeve style that we’ve noticed is a combination of two popular dress styles:
illusion lace and cropped dresses. The cropped wedding dress style is very
playful and aimed at young, fit brides who are willing to show a bit of tummy
on their wedding day. To keep the style from revealing too much skin (or looking
too “clubby”), we often see long-sleeve, illusion lace tops paired with
voluminous, chiffon skirts.

In the 1990’s, wedding dresses became minimalist and sleeves disappeared. However, it wasn’t long before sleeves started to sneak back in in the form of cap sleeves. These very short wedding dress sleeves have no fabric under the arm and create a sweet and feminine style. They’re often chiffon or tulle and may have embroidery or lace detail.

Short
off-the-shoulder sleeve styles are also popular, especially for embroidery
pieces that lay across the shoulder and upper arms and create almost the
appearance of a lace tattoo. It’s a deeply romantic, opulent style that is sexy
and perfect for lavish, over-the-top weddings.

Granite countertops are durable, but that doesn’t mean that
they are indestructible. With so many different cleaning products on the
market, it is nearly impossible for homeowners like you to know what is and
isn’t safe for granite while you are browsing through the store. With our
easy-to-follow tips, you will know what products
to avoid to help protect your granite countertops from harsh, abrasive
chemicals.

Here are just a few things that you should look to avoid
using on your granite countertops:

Ammonia

Bleach

Bath tile cleaners

Grout cleaners

Disinfectants

Glass cleaners

Hydrogen peroxide

Vinegar

Citrus cleaners

These types of cleaners or any cleaners containing these ingredients can remove the sealer from granite. Without sealer, the granite is vulnerable to the damaging ingredients inside of these cleaners and anything else that comes into contact with your countertops. Plus, the ingredients in these cleaners may etch or dull the stone.

Cleaners That Can Damage Granite

The list of cleaners that can damage granite is a long one.
We know that there is no way that we can cover all of them, but here are a few
of the most common household cleaners for granite:

Windex

Bleach

Lysol Lemon All-Purpose Cleaner

Clorox All-Purpose Cleaner with Bleach

Disinfecting Wipes

All of these cleaners are problematic—some of them for a
variety of reasons. Let’s take a look at why you should avoid using these
products on your granite countertops.

1.
Windex

Windex has been known to cause significant damage to granite
countertops. First, Windex will strip the sealer off the granite, and once your
countertops are vulnerable, you could be looking at pitting problems and
dulling of the stone. Many ingredients in Windex are problematic for granite
countertops, so it is best just to avoid
using Windex on your granite countertops altogether.

2.
Bleach

Bleach is great for cleaning
because it kills all kinds of germs and viruses. However, bleach has no
business being anywhere near granite. Not only can bleach destroy granite
sealers, but it can also stain the stone once it has penetrated the sealer.
Avoid using bleach or any cleaner that contains bleach on your granite
countertops.

3.
Lysol Lemon All-Purpose Cleaner

Citric acid
is a big no-no for granite countertop cleaning. However, citric acid isn’t the
only thing that Lysol Lemon All-Purpose Cleaner contains that could damage your
granite countertops. Ammonia is another harsh ingredient found in this cleaner.
While the citric acid is known to break down sealers, ammonia can cause
scratching and etching on the stone, and over time, the ammonia can even start
eating away at the granite.

In fact, we don’t
recommend using any all-purpose cleaner on your granite countertops. Most of
these cleaners contain all kinds of harsh chemicals that are unsafe for use on
granite countertops.

4.
Clorox All-Purpose Cleaner with Bleach

This is another
all-purpose cleaner that you should keep far, far away from your stone
countertops. Clorox All-Purpose Cleaner with Bleach contains fragrances that
wear away at the sealer on your countertops. Additionally, the bleach in this
cleaner helps break down the sealer and can even stain your stone.

5.
Disinfecting Wipes

We all know that disinfecting wipes are the most convenient way to clean anything. You don’t need to find towels or paper towels, and cleaning is as simple as wiping these little clothes around and waiting for the surface to dry. What could possibly be wrong with disinfecting wipes? Well, unfortunately, disinfecting wipes typically contain citric acid, which can be extremely damaging to sealants that are used to protect the granite stone.

How to Properly Clean Granite Countertops

Now that you are an expert in what to avoid on granite
countertops, here’s how you should be cleaning that beautiful stone.

We recommend only using cleaning products that are specifically made for granite and other
natural stone surfaces. We tend to love Rock Doctor’s Granite Cleaner, because
it is non-abrasive and doesn’t have a strong chemical smell. A granite cleaner
can move dirt, bacteria, and stains from your countertops without causing any
damage to the sealer or the stone itself. To prevent stains and other damage,
we recommend that you use a cleaner every day or after every use of the
countertop.

Cleaning
granite countertops is just the beginning. To properly protect your granite
countertops, you will need to use a sealer on them once a year. If you don’t
use your countertops all that often, you may be able to get away with sealing
the granite every 18 months. The sealer creates a protective barrier for the
granite to keep out moisture. You should use a water-based granite sealer to
protect your countertops from staining and other damage. While sealing granite
countertops sounds like a big job, it isn’t very difficult, and anyone can do
it.

Granite polish can be used to keep your countertops looking
shiny and new. Use a granite polish with carnauba wax that can
fill any tiny imperfections that occur in your granite to make the stone.
Depending on how much you use your countertops, you may want to polish them
either weekly or monthly.

Taking care of granite doesn’t have to feel like a chore. In
most cases, it won’t take much energy or effort to keep your countertops looking
like they were just put in yesterday.
Using our tips, you can also keep your granite safe from damage.

Living with chronic pain is never easy, but the good news is that there are several things that you can do to help yourself better manage it. Many people who suffer with chronic pain on a regular basis worry about the side effects of taking medication on a long-term basis, so you might be wondering if there is anything that you can do to relieve your symptoms without a prescription. In some cases, your doctor may be unable to prescribe you regular medication to help you manage your pain. Here are some of the main things you can do to stay in control.

1. Use Deep Breathing and Meditation to Encourage Relaxation:

Meditation and deep
breathing are techniques that can help your body to relax. It gives your
muscles a quiet message to relax, helping them release any built-up tension and
pressure. Focusing on deep breathing, ignoring intrusive thoughts, and even
repeating a mantra can help your body to relax. It’s possible to learn
meditation on your own with several online tutorials that you can follow, and
if you find it’s more helpful, you can also take a class.

2. Reduce Stress in Your Life:

Stress and other
negative feelings such as depression, anxiety, and anger can intensify chronic
pain and increase your body’s sensitivity to pain. Learning to take control of your stress can be one of the best ways to help you manage
your chronic pain. There are several techniques that you can use to promote
relaxation and reduce stress in every aspect of your life. Listening to
soothing, calming music is a great way to lift your mood, help you relax and
make living with chronic pain easier for you. You can even find specially
designed relaxation playlists and CDs for this purpose.

3. Exercise Regularly:

Although exercising
may be the last thing on your mind when you are suffering with chronic pain,
some regular, gentle exercise can make a huge difference to how you feel.
When you exercise, endorphins are released, which are brain chemicals that
improve your mood whilst also blocking pain signals. In addition, getting more
exercise will also help to strengthen your muscles, which will prevent
re-injury and further pain. Exercise has a wide range of benefits including
keeping your weight under control, reducing your risk of heart disease, and controlling
your blood sugar levels. Speak to your doctor about the right kind of exercise
for you.

4. Improve Your Sleep Habits:

Getting enough sleep
at night can make a massive difference to how you feel and make it much easier
for you to manage chronic pain. There are several things that you can do to
enjoy better sleep, from something as simple as using an eye mask for sleeping to encourage your body’s melatonin production,
to cutting back on alcohol to get a better night’s sleep. Practice good sleep
hygiene, which involves having a set sleeping and waking routine, and only
using your bed for its designated purpose.

5. Get Support:

Last but not least,
getting support can make it much easier for you to manage chronic pain without
the help of medication. Consider joining a support group where you can meet
with and get ideas and advice from people in a similar situation to yourself.
Chronic pain can also lead to mental health worries such as depression and
anxiety, therefore it’s worth considering meeting with a mental health
professional who can offer therapy and support to help you regain control over
your body and mind.

Living with chronic pain doesn’t mean that you need to commit to regular prescription drugs. With these techniques, you can manage your pain more naturally.

I decided that while we were having work done in the bathroom, I would go ahead and paint it again. This time I chose a bright aqua color called Island Aqua. It coordinates well with the shower curtain and rugs I already have. My neighbor, who had done so much of the work around our house for us, came over and painted for me.

The yellow and gray accents look good with the color of the walls. I chose the Behr brand of paint that Home Depot sells in a semi gloss enamel paint that is washable.

I need to fix that shower curtain hook in the middle of the shower curtain. I didn’t even notice that it was not attached until I saw this picture!

I have some pictures and other decor to put on the walls, but I am looking for a couple more things to put in there before I start decorating.

We picked out this beautiful shower fixture because it has two shower head. One of them is on a six foot flexible metal hose. It reaches to the bench seat.

The two cubby holes built into the wall of the shower are so handy for holding soap, shampoo, and conditioner. There are two of them so we can each have one.

The next thing we are going to do in the bathroom is replace the sinks and counter top. I’m going to have my neighbor paint the cabinet white. One of these days we will replace the existing floor tiles to match the tile in the floor of the shower. It is slowly coming together. Did I tell you how much I love this walk in shower?

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A vacation to Disney World is one of the best trips you can take with young ones. There are many hotels near each Disney park, but the Disney resorts themselves are usually among the best. We’ve recently learned about the DVC Resale Market where you can buy or a rent a Disney Vacation Club timeshare from a current owner at a significant discount. We’ll have to check these out on our next Disney trip.